Tata Scholarship 2026-27: Eligibility, Amount, Deadlines & How to Apply

“Tata Scholarship” is an umbrella term for a set of separate Tata Trust scholarship programs for Indian students, not a single award. The three that matter for study abroad are the Cornell University Tata Scholarship (undergraduate), the J.N. Tata Endowment Loan Scholarship (postgraduate, PhD, and postdoctoral), and the Lady Meherbai D. Tata Education Trust Scholarship (Master’s, women only). Each has its eligibility, amount, and deadline, so knowing which one fits your course and funding need matters more than the brand name.

Related reading: if none of these three fit your profile, our scholarships for Indian students in the US guide covers other funding options.

The Tata Cornell Scholarship (officially the Cornell University Tata Scholarship) was set up through a $25 million endowment from the Tata Education and Development Trust, worth roughly ₹235 crore at ₹94/USD. It funds about 20 Indian undergraduates at Cornell at any given time, named in honor of Ratan Tata, a Cornell alumnus and former university trustee.

Tata scholarship eligibility for this award:

• You attended secondary school in India.
• You are offered undergraduate admission to Cornell.
• You qualify for need-based financial aid (Cornell’s international admission process is need-aware).

Tata scholarship amount: there’s no fixed figure. Cornell meets 100% of your demonstrated financial need through a mix of Cornell grants, work-study, and student loans for up to 8 semesters (10 for the 5-year architecture program). Preference goes to students admitted to the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning; the Duffield College of Engineering; Applied Economics and Management in the Johnson College of Business; and biological, physical, and social sciences majors.

How to apply: there’s no separate Tata Scholarship form. You apply to Cornell through the Common App and submit the CSS Profile (school code 2098) to be considered automatically.

Related reading: for tips on strengthening your overall application before you apply, see our Cornell University scholarships guide.

The last date to apply for the Tata Scholarship for the 2026-27 cycle is:

• Early Decision: 1 November 2026 (application and international aid deadline)
• Regular Decision: 2 January 2027 (application and international aid deadline)

The JN Tata Endowment Scholarship is a Tata Trust scholarship for Indians heading abroad for a Master’s, PhD, or postdoctoral program in any field. Unlike Cornell’s award, this one is primarily a loan, not a grant.

Eligibility:

• You must be an Indian citizen, a graduate of a recognized Indian university, and have scored at least 60% in your last exam.
• You must be 45 years old or younger as of 30 June of the application year.
• You can apply at the start of your second year of study if your course runs for two or more years, or in your final year or while awaiting results if you are applying before you leave.
• This scholarship is not applicable for conferences, seminars, or undergraduate studies.

Amount: a loan of ₹1,00,000 to ₹10,00,000 (not fixed, and doesn’t cover your full cost of study), plus a possible gift scholarship of up to ₹7,50,000 and a travel grant of up to ₹50,000, both at the Trustees’ discretion based on your performance.

Counselor insight: Since the JN Tata Endowment is a loan, not a full grant, build your funding plan around it rather than on it. Pair it with a bank education loan or personal savings to cover the gap, and confirm your university’s exact cost of attendance before you count on this loan to close it.

Tata scholarship last date: the 2026-27 cycle has closed. The Endowment typically opens applications in January and closes by March each year; the 2027-28 dates have not yet been announced. Check jntataendowment.org closer to the new year.

Tata scholarship documents required typically include your final-year marksheets and degree certificate, admission offer letter from the overseas university, GRE/GMAT/IELTS/TOEFL scores, and your statement of purpose.

Related reading: see our guides on writing a Master’s SOP and formatting a letter of recommendation before you apply.

This is the Tata scholarship for girl students specifically. Set up in 1933, it funds up to 10 Indian women a year for a Master’s degree abroad in a narrow set of fields: child health and nutrition, gender studies, public health, counselling, special education, human rights, social work, and related areas.

Eligibility:

• Indian woman, graduate of a recognized Indian university.
• Admission to a Master’s program abroad in an eligible field.

Amount: reported at up to ₹6,00,000, though figures vary by source.

At that level, the grant typically covers a meaningful share of tuition for a one-year Master’s abroad rather than the full cost, since many eligible programs (public health, social work, and gender studies) run ₹15-30 lakh a year depending on the country and university. Plan to combine it with savings, an education loan, or a university bursary rather than treating it as your only funding source.

Tata scholarship last date: the 2026-27 cycle closed on 30 March 2026, with a first-stage submission, further stages through April, and a final interview with the Board of Trustees in Mumbai in late June or early July, conducted in person or online for shortlisted candidates. The 2027-28 window isn’t announced yet; it typically opens in February.

There’s no single “tata scholarship apply online” portal, since each scheme runs its own process:

1. Cornell Tata Scholarship: apply via the Common App and CSS Profile, no separate form.
2. JN Tata Endowment: Register on jntataendowment.org when the window opens, complete the online application, clear the screening test, and then attend an interview.
3. Lady Meherbai D Tata: apply directly through the Tata Trusts portal during the announced window.

• Match the scheme to your course level: Cornell for undergrad, JN Tata Endowment for PG/PhD, and Lady Meherbai D Tata for a women-only Master’s.
• Track deadlines separately: Cornell’s 2 January 2027 Regular Decision date is live now, while JN Tata Endowment and Lady Meherbai D Tata have closed for this cycle.
• Start gathering documents (test scores, SOP, admission offer, income proof) before the next application window opens, since most of these have short screening timelines.

Not sure which Tata Scholarship you’re eligible for? Talk to a LeapScholar counselor for free and get a clear plan for your eligibility, documents, and application timeline.